The rendezvous of fwallows, in their paffage to and from England, is obferved no where fo much as on this coast, between Orford-Nefs and Yarmouth. About the beginning of October, an unusual multitude of them are fometimes oblerved fitting on the leads of the church, and covering the tops of feveral of the neighbouring houses. The reafon, affigned for fuch a prodigious concourfe, is, that this was the feafon when the fwallows, their food failing here, began to leave us, and return to the country, where-ever it be, from whence they came; and that, this being the nearest land to the opposite coaft, and the wind contrary, they were waiting for a gale, and might be faid to be wind-bound. This reafon feems to be very plausible; for it is confidently af ferted by the inhabitants, that, if the wind be contrary to them on their arrival, and that if it afterwards veers about to the northweft in the night, not one swallow is to be feen in the morning. Certain it is, that the fwallows neither come hither merely for warm weather, nor retire merely from cold. Like shoals of fish in the fea, they pursue their prey, and, being voracious creatures, feed as they fly; for their food are the infects, of which, in our fummer evenings, in damp and moist places, the air is full; and, when cold weather comes in, and kills the infects, neceffity then compels the swallows to quit us, and follow their food to fome other climate. This paffing and repaffing of fwallows is not obferved any farther north, the paffage of the fea being fuppofed too broad from Flamborough Head and the fhore of Holderneffe in Yorkshire.

This county, which is in the diocese of Norwich, contains the two archdeaconries of Sudbury and Suffolk; has given title of Marquis and Duke to feveral families, that of Earl to a branch of the Howards; and fends fixteen Members to Parliament, two for each borough. In the present Parliament, for the fhire, Sir Cordell Firebrace, of Melford-hall near Sudbury in this county, Baronet; and John Affleck, of Dalham-hall near Newmarket, Efq. For Ipfwich, Samuel Kent, Efq; Purveyor of Chelfea-hofpital, refiding at Fornham, near St. Edmund's-bury in this county, and Chelfea-hofpital; and Thomas Staunton, of Holbrook-hall near this borough, and of Samford-hall in Effex, Efq. For Dunwich, Sir Jacob Garrard Downing, Bart. of Gamlingay park, Cambridgeshire; and Soame Jenyngs, Efq; a Commiffioner of Trade and Plantations, of Bottisham-hall, Cambridgeshire. For Orford, the right honourable Henry Bilfon Legge, Efq; Chan

an

O

cellor and Under-treasurer of the Exche quer; his feats at Holt and Mapledurham Hants, and Aldermafton, Berks; John Offley, Efq; Groom of the King bedchamber, at Whichnor, Staffordshire For Aldeburgh, William Windham, o Cromer in Norfolk, Efq; Comptroller o the Duke's houfhold; and Zachary Phili Fonnereau, Efq; Merchant in London For Sudbury, Thomas Fonnereau, Christchurch in Ipfwich, Efq; and the ho nourable Thomas Walpole, of Wolterton Norfolk, Efq. For Eye, Courthope Clayton, of Shepherd's-bufh, Middlefex, Efq Lieutenant-colonel of the first troop of grenadier guards, Avenor, Clerk - martial, and Equerry to his Majefty; and the ho nourable Henry Townshend, Efq. For St. Edmund's-bury, the honourable Felton Hervey, Efq; and the honourable Auguftus John Hervey, Efq. We shall treat of these boroughs in their order.

Ipfwich was, by the Saxons, called Gipefwick, from its river, then called Gippin, because of its winding ftream, but now the Orwell. It has a confiderable trade by fea, but not fo great as formerly, when its harbour was more commodious. Mr. Camden called it the eye of this county. Of late years the town is decayed, there being now but twelve, instead of one and twenty churches in it, when in its moft flourishing state; and the number of fhipping is confiderably leffened from what it then was. Here are two chapels in the corporation liberty, befides meeting-houses. It had charters and a mint fo early as in the reign of King John; but the last charter was from King Charles II. They are incorporated by the name of two Bailiffs, a Recorder, twelve Portmen, of whom the Bailiffs are two; a Town-clerk, two Coroners, and twenty-four Common-councilmen. The Bailiffs and four of the Portmen are Juftices of the peace.

Its fairs in May and Auguft are for cattle, and hold each two days. The tide rifes here generally twelve, fometimes fourteen feet, and brings great ships within a fmall diftance of it; but flows a very little way higher.

It is a neat, well-built, populous town, a mile long, from St. Matthew's to St. Helen's on the road; and above a mile broad, forming a fort of half-moon on the bank of the river, over which it has a good bridge of ftone leading to Stoke-hamlet; and its chief manufactures are linen and woollen. Befides the church, are two chapels in the Corporation liberty, and meeting houfes, with feveral fair public truc

tures;

tures; a Town-hall, Council-chamber, a large Market-place, with a handfome cross in the middle; as a Shire hall for the county feffions, a free school, a good library adjoining to a workhouse, or hofpital ior poor lunatics, called Chrift's-hofpital; a noble foundation of Mr. Henry Tooley, in 1556, for poor old men and women; and tately fhambles in the Market-place, built by Cardinal Wolfey, who was born here, and was the fon of a butcher. It was once fenced about with a wall, or rampart, the traces of which are still to be feen, as are the ruins of fix or seven religious houfes. Chrift-church, one of them, is made a manfion-house, which was lately the feat of Lord Viscount Hereford, now Mr. Claude Fonnereau's; and its park and green are a great addition to the pleafantnefs of Ipfwich, for bowling and other diversions. Another is the Court of Judicature, where the quarter-feffions are held for the Ipfwich divifion; and part of it is a jail. Cardinal Wolfey began to build a college here on the ruins of a small college of Black Canons, which, though not fiBished by him, bears his name.

in

It was formerly plundered by the Danes, 1991, who demolished its ditch and rampart; and the inhabitants were forced to pay a good fum of money for their peace. Afterwards it was befieged by King Stephen, who demolished the cattle, fo that now not one ftone of it is left upon another. It enjoys feveral confiderable privileges, as the paffing fines and recoveries, trying caufes both criminal and capital, and even Crown caufes; befides appointing the affize of bread, wine, beer, and the like. No freemen can be obliged, against their confent, to ferve on juries out of the town, or bear any office for the King, Sheriffs for the county excepted; nor are they obliged to pay any tolls or duties in any other parts of the kingdom. They are intitled to all waifs, ftrays, and all goods caft on fhore within their Admiralty jurifdiction, which extends, on the coaft of Effex, beyond Harwich, and on both fides the Suffolk coaft; and the Bailiffs even hold their Admiralty Court beyond Landguard-fort, and other places. At a trial, in the reign of Edward III, it was determined, that the Bailiffs and Burgeffes had the fole right to take the Custom duties for goods coming into Harwich haven. The country round Ipfwich, as all the counties fo near the coaft, is applied chiefly to corn, of which a great quantity is continually fhipped off for London, and fometimes for Holland, if the market be encouraged. More Gentry

refide here, than in any other town of the county, except St. Edmund's-bury. This country is likewife an inexhauftible store of timber, of which, fince their trade of hip-building is abated, they fend great quantities to the King's yards at Chatham, to which they often run, from the mouth of the river of Harwich, in one tide. Here are feveral alms houfes, and three charityfchools, in two of which are 70 boys, and in the other 40 girls. In 1704, an excellent charity, for the relief and fupport of the widows and orphans of poor Clergymen of the county of Suffolk, was begun in this town, by a voluntary fubfcription of a finail number of Gentlemen and Clergy. Since that time, it has been carried on with such great fuccefs, that the yearly collection, which at firft was but 61. by gradual advances every year, amounted, in 1740, to 3121. 2 s. 6d. and, in the thirty-feven years, to the sum of 4416 1. 9 s. 6 d.

A late author, who had been in Italy, compares the fituation of this town to that of Rome, with a rifing ground at the entrance on the left hand, and a river on the right, feparating it from the suburbs, as the Tyber does Rome from St. Peter's. As for the town, he compares it to a noble old houfe, which has stood a long time untenanted and out of repair; the streets being large, the houses built after the ancient manner, and few people to be seen in them. Its markets on Tuesday and Thursday are for fmall meat; Wednesday and Friday for. fifh; and Saturday for provisions of all kinds. Its fair in Auguft is a great one, for cattle; and that in September for butter and cheese. It is thought to be one of the best places in England for amilies that are reduced to narrow circumstances, becaufe of eafy house rent, good company, the belt of inns, plenty of provifions, fish, flesh, or fowl, and eafy paffage, either by water or land, the coach going through to London in a day. Ships of five hundred tons have been built here, and yet at lowwater the harbour is almost dry; which made King Charles II. fay to the Duke of Buckingham, That it was a town without inhabitants, a river without water, ftreets without names, and that the affes wore boots." The meaning of the two laft is, that the town is divided into four wards; and that Mr. Fonnereau's bowling-green used to be rolled by affes in boots, to prevent their hoofs making any impreflion. alto a convenient key and custom-house ; and it is ob'erved, that no place in Britain is fo well qualified for the trade to Greenland, principally from this confideration, that the

H 2

Here are

fame

was a native of this town; he was murdered at the inftigation of one John Ball, a feditious and fanatical preacher in Wat Tyler's rebellion.-He was a Prelate of a very good character for learning and charity.He built the upper end of St. Gregory's church, in Sudbury, where his head is ftill fhewn; it was, not long fince, intire, covered with the flesh and fkin dried by art, the mouth wide open, occafioned by convulfions, through the hard death he died, having fuffered eight blows before his head was cut off. He founded, in the place where his father's houfe ftood, a neat college, which he furnished with secular clergy, and alfo bountifully endowed it.

This is fuppofed to have been formerly the fhire-town, and to have had the name given it with respect to Norwich, or the northern town. It ftill retains the preeminence in ecclefiaftical jurifdiction, the County being divided, as has been already mentioned, into the two archdeaconries of Suffolk and Sudbury; and it gives title of Baron to the Duke of Grafton. -It has fent Members to Parliament ever fince the reign of Edward IV.

Eye ftands in what is called an island, becaufe furrounded by a brook, near the borders of Norfolk, in the road between Ipfwich and Norwich.-It was incorporated by King John; has two Bailiffs, ten principal Burgeffes, twenty-four CommonCouncil men, a Recorder, and a Townclerk: The Bailiffs are chofen out of the principal Burgeffes. The town is meanly built, and the ftreets dirty: Its chief manufacture is bone lace and fpinning.-It has a large handsome church, near the weft end of which are to be feen fome of the ruinous walls of an ancient castle and monaftery. This lordship has feveral times been fettled in jointure upon the Queens of England, and now gives title of Baron to the Lord Cornwallis. A charity fchool was opened here, in 1716, for thirty boys, who are all cloathed.

twelve capital Burgeffes, and twenty-four Common-council-men, who have the regalia of maces, and four Serjeants attendants. The town is well built, is much frequented by Gentry; has very good inns, two large noble parish churches, both in one churchyard; with a grammar fchool founded by Edward VI. In St. Mary's church, which is only parted from St. James's by a row of trees, is the tomb of Mary II. of France, fifter to King Henry VIII, besides other handfome monuments. The fairs are kept on Angel-hill, a spacious plain, between the ruins of the abbey and the town, encompaffed with the best Gentlemens houses, and adorned with a fine cross, which has a lan thorn and a clock. The greatest of its fairs, and indeed the most famous in all England for the company that frequents it, begins on St. Matthew's day, and lasts a fortnight, during which all the neighbouring Nobility and Gentry come to it every afternoon, where they raffle till evening, then go to the play, and after to an affembly, at fome Gentleman's house. This place is called the Montpellier of England, not only for its good air, but for the beautiful rife it stands on, and for its profpect of an open fine country, the residence of abundance of Gentry; fo that an ancient author does not fay too much of it, when he affirms, the fun does not shine upon a town of more agreeable fituation. The river Bourn or Lark, that runs on the east fide of it, was made navigable by act of Parliament, in 1701, from Lynn to Fornham, about a mile from hence. The town is fo regularly built, that almoft all the ftreets cut each other at right angles. The other most remarkable public buildings are the abbey gate, which is ftill a fine monument of what the abbey was once; the Guild-hall, the Wool-hall, and the Shirehoufe. Little or no manufacture is carried on here but spinning. This town enjoyed the privilege of a mint, in the reigns of Edward I. and II, fome of whofe coined pennies are fill preferved; and Stow, in his Survey of London, fays, page 83, that it also had a mint in the time of King John. The county Affizes and Quarter-feflions are ufually kept here. It has three charity - fchools, one for forty boys, and two others for fifty girls, all cloathed. The town is reckoned three miles in circuit within the walls, containing five wards, five gates, and thirty-four ftreets, ftrait, fpacious, and well paved; and, taking in the fuburbs, it is one mile and a quarter from east to west, and one mile and a half from fouth to north. There have been fome very remarkable events at this town, which we beg leave just to men

St. Edmund's-Bury, or Bury St. Edmund, is an ancient town in a good air, and the fruitfulleft part of the county. In Antoninus's Itinerary, it is called Villa Fauftini, and had its prefent name from an abbey founded in honour of St. Edmund, King of the Eaft-Angles, who was crowned and buried here, after being martyred by the Danes, about 1012; and it was called by his name, not from his being buried here, but because it was his burgh. This abbey was by Leland reckoned one of the largest and richeft in England, at leaft, if not in the world. It is governed by an Alderman, Recorder, Town- clerk, Coroner,

tion :